BFF "Wargame" highlights shortcomings of the UK biotechnology industry

The UK Biotech Business Development Wargame which took place last month to examine funding issues surrounding the biotechnology sector, has clearly demonstrated that the UK industry lags significantly behind its US counterpart in delivering value creation and business success. The results from the wargame, which was commissioned by the Bioscience Futures Forum and was run by the specialist company Simulstrat, are now set to prompt a compelling agenda for change that is needed to strengthen the biotechnology industry in the UK.

Using a wargame enabled a direct comparison between biotechnology business building in the USA and the UK. The game simulated two biotechnology companies, Sim BioPharma from the UK and Sam BioPharma from the USA as they competed against each other in a bid to become a biopharmaceutical company with a market capitalization in excess of L1.0 billion/$2.0 billion. Both were given the same parameters at all stages of the game.

Nigel Burns, chairman of Cell Medica, who played on the UK team commented: "the wargame created a very realistic environment in which other participants could actually view the decisions and debates that typically happen between biotech companies and various stakeholders such as venture capitalists, institutional investors and the media. These activities usually take place behind closed doors and without the wargame would have remained obscure and mysterious to many who attended. Being able to access and test the real opinions of key players in the industry was not only incredibly interesting but invaluable for all who attended the game."